


Jukebox Hero

by guti



Category: Football RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-01
Updated: 2016-05-01
Packaged: 2018-06-05 15:57:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6711574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/guti/pseuds/guti
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gary starts ignoring Jamie in favor of a strange new hobby, and let's just say Jamie isn't too happy about it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Jukebox Hero

**Author's Note:**

  * For [pepsicokes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pepsicokes/gifts), [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts).



Things had been going quite swimmingly between Jamie and Gary, all things considered. After an initial period of coolness during the start of Jamie’s tenure with Sky, the pair of them had fallen into an easy sense of calm, which soon blossomed into an actual friendship, which in turn, and in spite of everything, eventually blossomed into something more. It was unexpected, to be sure, but they both seemed to be enjoying themselves, and being two consenting adults, neither of them particularly cared to sweat the minor details of their relationship too much. They kept things professional at work, joined Ed for drinks after tapings, and then, once Ed excused himself, they’d head back to Gary’s flat and fuck each other senseless. It was all sorted like that, and Jamie for one tried never to overthink it.

He mostly succeeded in this, and for the most part, emotions, be they negative or positive, rarely crept in. He liked Gary an awful lot, he could be real with himself, but he knew full well that it was just sex, and for him, that was just fine.

He didn’t start to overthink any of it at all really until one night at that pub when he dropped his voice and asked if he could come over. That was when Gary shook his head and gave a hapless sigh. 

“Sorry, Carra,” he said, pulling on his jacket. “I’ve got plans for later. Maybe next time.”

Jamie blinked at him, a bit surprised, as this was now their habit. This was _what they did_ on Monday nights, and breaking up their routine was a new trick from Gary. “Alright,” he said, settling back into his seat. “Next time.”

He remembered Gary’s distracted look as he disappeared out the door and into the night, but he tried not to think about it too deeply. Gary was a busy man with a lot on his plate. Jamie wasn’t the top priority, couldn’t be that all the time, he understood. Still, it was odd.

It only really started to bother him when it happened again after the next show. They were in their dressing room changing out of their nice suits when Jamie casually mentioned it again.

“I can’t this time,” Gary said, apologetic at least. “I’ve got this thing I’m supposed to do. But next time, yeah? Next week, you come over and we’ll open this bottle of wine I’ve been keeping.”

Jamie nodded, not exactly pleased with the compromise, but willing to accept it. He had to admit it, he’d become accustomed to their regular romps, and now having gone so long without release he was starting to feel slightly deprived. Which was utterly ridiculous, he realized, given the circumstances. But still.

He remembered Gary’s promise after the next show and snuck up on him in the hall afterward, leaning in to whisper something positively raunchy in Gary’s ear, with the full intention of riling him up. Unfortunately, it didn’t work.

“Oh, fuck, that was this week,” Gary winced, slinking away from him, more capable of it now than he ever had been in his youth, if Carra were being honest.

“When’d you think next Monday was, Gaz?” Jamie asked, scowling at him openly. He had to admit it then, his feelings were a little hurt. If Gary wanted to end things, all he had to do was say so. There was no reason to skirt the issue or sneak around like a bloody child. He was a man, he could take being dumped. He’d been through worse break ups in his life, he could certainly handle Gary Neville leaving him.

“I’m sorry, I completely forgot,” Gary said, rushing for the exit. “Next week. I promise.”

But Jamie had had enough. Fueled by curiosity (and a bit of bitterness) he paced around the dressing room for awhile before heading to the car park and driving himself straight over to Gary’s. He wasn’t sure what could be gained from a confrontation, but he was ready to have it out and hear the truth. If the bandaid had to come off, so be it. He was a man. He’d deal with it.

But his resolve started to falter a little when he approached Gary’s front door and he heard something strange coming from inside. It was music. Familiar music. _Loud_ music. Jamie frowned, straining to make it out through the door, almost laughing when the well known power chord combination started up, accompanied by some warbling, off-key singing.

“Is that… the Scorpions?” Jamie mumbled to himself, ear pressed to the door. Except not it wasn’t Klaus Meine’s soaring vocals he heard. If he wasn’t mistaken, it sounded an awful lot like Gary. All the suspicion and resentment that had built up over the last few weeks suddenly disappeared and Jamie almost laughed again, covering his mouth at the sound of a cheering audience in the background. And then another song began. Jamie recognized it immediately as a 38 Special song, and immediately recognized that it was indeed Gary singing. He couldn’t hold himself back any longer. He knocked sharply on the door.

Suddenly the music stopped, and he could hear footsteps approaching, and a moment later he was face to face with a flabbergasted Gary Neville.

“Jamie?” He looked entirely sheepish, an Xbox controller in hand. “What’re you doing here?”

“I dropped by for a chat. Now, you mind explaining to me what in the hell that’s supposed to be exactly?” Jamie asked, arms folded over his chest. “You’re ditching me to sing at-home karaoke?”

Gary’s cheeks flushed and he frowned at him defiantly. “It’s not karaoke. It’s Rock Band 4, one of the best and most popular music and rhythm games available, for your information.”

Jamie rolled his eyes and brushed past him on his way into the flat. Indeed, on Gary’s large screen TV there was a paused video game, and sticking out from his gaming console was a long corded microphone, which was sitting on Gary’s sofa where he’d dropped it. Jamie didn’t bother to take off his shoes or coat and instead sat down onto the sofa next to what had clearly been Gary’s spot. There was an open wine bottle on the end table, mostly empty, no glass. Jamie eyed it, raising his eyebrows. “So you’ve blown me off to sit at home by yourself playing Rock Band.”

Gary followed him, pouting a little. “See, this is why I didn’t want to tell you. You make it sound so pathetic and sad.”

“It is a bit pathetic and sad, ain’t it? I mean, you’re giving up a proper shag to sit alone singing classic rock hits to an electronic audience.” Jamie looked up at him, clearly disappointed.

Gary flinched a little. “I…”

“You could’ve said something, you know.”

“You’d just mock me and think I was weird.”

“Well, yeah, but…”

“I only wanted to get the top scores again. Scholesy came by a few weeks back and absolutely demolished all my marks and it’s been driving me crazy.”

Jamie stared at him, disbelieving for a moment, wondering if he ought to press that topic further, opting not to. 

Gary sighed dramatically and sank down beside him. “This is the only night I have to do anything by myself, Jamie. One night. I just wanted to relax and drink some wine and sing. Is that so wrong?”

No, it wasn’t so wrong. Jamie understood, Gary’s time had always been very precious, and he was quite lucky to have weaseled his way onto that busy schedule. He’d always been a busy man himself, but never like Gary, never on the move so much, with so many different and difficult items on his plate. He admired that, though he might not always (ever) let on. He might’ve even been envious of that ability to move, move, move. But he was also a greedy person, needy in his own way. He’d gotten a taste of what it was like to be with Gary and he didn’t want to give it up, not for something as silly as a video game.

He searched Gary’s eyes, saw the exhaustion in him, saw the wine in him too, and a though occurred. Reaching for the bottle, he took a swig of the wine himself and made himself comfortable in his seat.

“Nothing’s wrong with that, rockstar. Now, sing me a song.”

Gary started blushing again and he huffed at him. “Wha-what? No, no.”

“Don’t be shy now. I already heard your belting from outside. You’ve got a lovely voice, Gaz. Really I mean it.” Jamie grinned in his most charming way, and he could see Gary start to squirm a little. “Now, go on and sing me a song. You be the rockstar, and I’ll be your number one fan. Your own personal groupie. How’s that sound?”

“But then you’d have to listen to me singing,” Gary pointed out.

“Don’t be an idiot, Gary. I’m offering to fuck you after you play your game. You’re getting the best of both worlds, you fool. Your jukebox hero fantasies _and_ the fella. Now say yes, because I’m not about to make the offer twice.”

Gary’s eyes went wide for a split second before he apparently thought better of playing coy. Slowly he smirked back at Jamie, took hold of the microphone, and pressed play.

**Author's Note:**

> \- [title is of course from this song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fr6KVNt-1Ek). it's not actually in rockband 4. but rest assured when the dlc becomes available, gary will get it (as will i tbqh.)  
> \- [no one like you](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRmbCIAz4c8) by scorpions _is_ in rockband 4.  
>  \- so is [so caught up in you](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zg21Rkew874) by 38 special.


End file.
